According to several sources, The Will Rogers Train show is no more after 2014
The North Texas Council of Railroad Clubs will cease train shows in Fort Worth after the November 8-9th show
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Ok maybe I am missing something here, but I looked at a few recent and upcoming train shows that are in the Ohio, Penn, NY, and MASS regions. It all appears that the organizers for those train shows actually want people to come and visit the train shows in those respective states. Unlike our Fort Worth show, which charges $9.00 admission and $10 parking. And you wonder why soooo many people are buying off of the internet auctions.
Will Rogers Fort Worth Train Show
Fort Worth, TX
November 8-9th
Admission $9.00
Parking $10.00
Camp Hill Toy, Train & Collectible Show
Camp Hill, PA
October 3rd- 5th 2014
Admission: FREE
FREE PARKING
New Hope Train Show & Sale
New Hope, PA
October 5th, 2014
Admission:$5.00
FREE PARKING
Model Show & Sale
Hawley, PA
October 12th, 2014
Admission: $3.00
Parking FREE
*New Hope Train Show & Sale---New Hope, PA
February 8th, 2015
Admission: $5.00
FREE PARKING
DIVISION 1 MODEL RAILROAD FLEA MARKET
AKRON OHIO
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014
Admission: $3
FREE PARKING
Greater Wayne County Train & Toy Show
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014
Admission: $5
FREE PARKING
Railfest 2015
Kirtland, OHIO
March 14-15 2015
Admission $7.00
Free Parking
Fourteenth Annual Model Railroad Show and Sale---Taunton, MA
September 28th, 2014
Admission:$5.00
FREE PARKING
New England Model Train Expo,
Marlborough, Massachusetts
December 6th -7th
Admission: $7.00
FREE PARKING
Brockton Train Show,
Brockton, Massachusetts
November 2nd
Admission: $5.00
FREE PARKING
Our club is an original member of the group that puts on the annual Ft. Worth train show, and also the annual Dallas/Plano show,( North Texas council of Railroad clubs). This organization is made up of around 24 local train clubs and train organizations. Each club has one member serving on the council. For quite a few years, I was our club representative on the council.
I can tell you that it has always been a struggle to find an affordable location for a show in Ft. Worth. Ft. worth keeps raising the prices for rental of the facilities, and the parking lot fees keep increasing. As a whole, the group putting on the show would love to find another place for the show. We just have never been able to find the right size space, available at the right price, and located in a convenient location. Our goal is to at least be able to break even on the shows, not to make a bunch of money. The member clubs can not afford to do this for free, or at any kind of financial lose. It costs tens of thousands of dollars to do this show each year. Attendance at this show, for many years, has been stagnant, at best. As the cost of using the facilities grows, we have to raise prices to at least stay even. We can not raise the dealer table cost too much either.
The group of clubs doing this show has pretty much decided that facility rental prices and parking fees have just flat gotten out of hand. For years, we have been seeking another location with more reasonable prices. We have not yet found that location. So, unless another location is found, there is a good possibility this will be the last Ft. Worth show, at least for a while.
Our club, which has been involved since the first show, has worked hard along with the other clubs to make this a success. I think we have held this show for 20+ years. We would hate to see it come to an end, and along with the whole council, are looking for viable options for future shows.
Jeff
Originally Posted by mowingman:
Our club is an original member of the group that puts on the annual Ft. Worth train show, and also the annual Dallas/Plano show. For quite a few years, I was our club representative on the show "committee".
I can tell you that it has always been a struggle to find an affordable location for a show in Ft. Worth. Ft. worth keeps raising the prices for rental of the facilities, and the parking lot fees keep increasing. As a whole, the group putting on the show would love to find another place for the show. We just have never been able to find the right size space, available at the right price, and located in a convenient location. Our goal is to at least be able to break even on the shows, not to make a bunch of money. The member clubs can not afford to do this for free, or at any kind of financial lose. It costs tens of thousands of dollars to do this show each year. Attendance at this show, for many years, has been stagnant, at best. As the cost of using the facilities grows, we have to raise prices to at least stay even. We can not raise the dealer table cost too much either.
The group of clubs doing this show has pretty much decided that facility rental prices and parking fees have just flat gotten out of hand. For years, we have been seeking another location with more reasonable prices. We have not yet found that location. so, unless another location is found, there is a good possibility this will be the last Ft. Worth show, at least for a while.
Our club, which has been involved since the first show, has worked hard along with the other clubs to make this a success. I think we have held this show for around 20 years. We would hate to see it come to an end, and along with the whole show "committee", are looking for viable options for future shows.
Im not angry with the Show or the organizers. Mad at the city of Ft Worth and the Will Rogers
The Will Rogers people bend over backwards for every GUN show that seems to take place almost every month.
Just another fine example of how Fort Worth always misses the mark.
Yes, if we were doing gun shows, or livestock shows, we would have it made. Even though we are longtime customers for the facility, we never get any real choice as to what weekend we have the show. Anything "cowboy" or "western" related, comes before us. We get whatever time slot is left.
Jeff
Originally Posted by Joe Barker:
We were discussing attendance at train shows here in Northern CA. One person asked why train shows in CO attract many more people. Another person answered that CO has the advantage of guns, marijuana and trains all at one show. You can't beat that combination? It covers all the bases.
We are having the same problems here in Northern CA. Venues are raising their rates and parking fees for train shows while attendance is declining. It is a losing combination.
Joe
I'll bet that some of the towns outside the DFW metroplex would love to promote the show, and help you find a good deal on facilities and parking. A lot of people don't like to fight the traffic in the DFW area, and probably stay away for that reason. If I find such a facility, I'll contact you.
Good Day,
I'd agree with Bob. A small city near DFW would be a better location for a show. Check out the city of Denison or Denton.
Regards,
Frank
We try to target the Ft. Worth area and surrounding towns. Denison is nowhere close to Ft. Worth. Denton is fairly close, but there are no available facilities in Denton, that have the space we need for a show. The Civic Center in Denton is about the largest space available. The Denton club barely has room in it to set up both their HO layout and N layout. No hotels/motels in Denton with meeting rooms of any size. The high school gyms are not large enough either. both Universitys are out of the question, due to availability and pricing.
Jeff
Well, with Ohio cited above, let me make a few comparisons: Train AND OTHER shows
at the Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus, and at the Columbus Convention Center
downtown are burdened with both admission fees, and pay parking (this last is always a disincentive for me to attend a show...probably due to my rural background in which
I hate parking meters, etc., and is why the generally public shops in malls and bigbox
stores with free parking, and downtown department stores and shopping vanished),
There were/are? train shows held on the Franklin Co. Fairgrounds in Hilliard, with
free parking, in two building that are not fancy. but who cares? One of the largest and best attended train shows in central and southern Ohio is that at the Clark Co. Fairgrounds in Springfield. Again, free parking. This same fairgrounds shelters a
huge general antique show, inside and outside, in hog barns and any other shelter
on the grounds, several times a year (free parking). In Columbus they are tearing down a fee parking center that once had train shows, the Veterans' Memorial. Another facility, the Aladdin Shrine Temple, free parking, was once used by the local TCA group for train shows. I have heard rent costs became prohibitive there but ? Many train shows in Ohio, including a large one today at the Medina Co. Fairgrounds, packed with attendees, are on county fairgrounds with free parking. Another recent train show
was at the Cuyahoge Co. FG on the west side of Cleveland...free parking. Got any county fairgrounds in the DFW area, or in N. Calif.?
Originally Posted by mowingman:
We try to target the Ft. Worth area and surrounding towns. Denison is nowhere close to Ft. Worth. Denton is fairly close, but there are no available facilities in Denton, that have the space we need for a show. The Civic Center in Denton is about the largest space available. The Denton club barely has room in it to set up both their HO layout and N layout. No hotels/motels in Denton with meeting rooms of any size. The high school gyms are not large enough either. both Universitys are out of the question, due to availability and pricing.
Jeff
It is easier for the people of Fort Worth to get out of town than it is for those in surrounding towns to get into Fort Worth. My family lived in Fort Worth for 38 years, and I lived in Dallas for 30 years. I now live in Greenville. As you know, 380 is a zoo. Going to Plano is hazardous. I have been to the Plano train shows, but would much rather go to Sherman, Ennis, Cleburne, Weatherford, Denton or Rockwall.
Originally Posted by Bob Young:
Originally Posted by mowingman:
We try to target the Ft. Worth area and surrounding towns. Denison is nowhere close to Ft. Worth. Denton is fairly close, but there are no available facilities in Denton, that have the space we need for a show. The Civic Center in Denton is about the largest space available. The Denton club barely has room in it to set up both their HO layout and N layout. No hotels/motels in Denton with meeting rooms of any size. The high school gyms are not large enough either. both Universitys are out of the question, due to availability and pricing.
Jeff
It is easier for the people of Fort Worth to get out of town than it is for those in surrounding towns to get into Fort Worth. My family lived in Fort Worth for 38 years, and I lived in Dallas for 30 years. I now live in Greenville. As you know, 380 is a zoo. Going to Plano is hazardous. I have been to the Plano train shows, but would much rather go to Sherman, Ennis, Cleburne, Weatherford, Denton or Rockwall.
you sure do have a good point there. Plano is constantly raising their rates for that facility, so that show could be threatened in coming years. I don't know what the answer is. I do know the Council has, and is currently looking at all options that are brought to it's attention. I hope both of these shows can continue. I know that many folks, young and old, have been exposed to the model railroad hobby, by attending these shows.Jeff
Just my two cents but other options to Plano are;
Grapevine convention center?
Arlington Convention center?
Irving Convention center??
Big Town in Mesquite??
on the SMALL side, the hotel that is off of I-35w and Meachem, or the Hurst Convention center? Dont discount small shows, I never miss the TCA show in Plano every summer.
Ever try to involve Wild Bill's hobby in Irving?
Not a Texan but I hate to hear about a 20 yr show going away. Another option to consider would be area colleges, including community colleges. These place generally have their own large convention space and parking. Also depending on the time of year the basket court might work. Sorry if I'm sticking my nose where it doesn't belong. Good luck and High Greens,
JHZ
Originally Posted by jhz563:
Not a Texan but I hate to hear about a 20 yr show going away. Another option to consider would be area colleges, including community colleges. These place generally have their own large convention space and parking. Also depending on the time of year the basket court might work. Sorry if I'm sticking my nose where it doesn't belong. Good luck and High Greens,
JHZ
The local area community colleges dont have basketball courts to my knowledge. And the large 4 yr university, used to play basketball games in a theater if I remember correctly. Pretty sad huh.. No but if you are into guns or "survival" or "prepper" junk, then there is a show almost every single month..
We have the Amherst Train show in MA at the Big E fairgrounds and this year (2015), tickets are $14 and $5 for parking. A lot of money but the place is always packed and I enjoy bumping into OGR Forum members.
Beg pardon, the Will Rogers show may cease after 2014, but there are still likely to be train shows in Cowtown next year. The Texas Western train show had its first show at the Forest Hills Civic Center a couple of weeks ago, and the O scale Southwest 2014 meet was on Saturday the 25th, with plans to return next year.
Originally Posted by ENP1976:
According to several sources, The Will Rogers Train show is no more after 2014
The North Texas Council of Railroad Clubs will cease train shows in Fort Worth after the November 8-9th show
Uh about those "new Hope" shows found in the New Hope Fire hall, It's mostly HO and sporadic vendors. By 11:30 am the venders are packing up. NOT much pickings there and mostly "junk" or Parts boxes and/or overpriced postwar. NO layouts either. IS that what the Ft. Worth show has? a Real NY/Metro train show is the Greenberg Show in Edison, NJ. or the Allentown Show in Allentown, PA
I think your comparing apples to oranges. It all depends on the Venue.
some venues are cheaper to rent than others and parking is at the
discretion of who ever owns the space near the venue.
